Screw removing tool



May 15, 1956 G. 1.. LEAKE SCREW REMOVING TOOL Filed Jan. 51, 1955 xxxxxPic. 7.

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INVENTOR GEORGE L, LEAKE.

United States Patent SCREW REMOVING TOOL George L. Leake, Simpsonville,S. C.

Application January 31, 1955, Serial No. 484,921

3 Claims. (Cl. 144-32) jMy invention relates to a screw removing tool.

' An important object of the invention is to provide a device of theabove-mentioned character, which may be employed to quickly andconveniently remove screws from surfaces such as airplane surfaces.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a tool of theabove-mentioned character for removing screws applied to curved orirregular surfaces and which is adjustable toward and from the surfaceand also angularly adjustable with respect to the surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool of theabove-mentioned character which is of simple construction and is cheapto manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutsame,

Figure l is a side elevation of a tool embodying my invention, showingthe same in use,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the tool, parts omitted,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4-4 of Figure Figure 5 isa horizontal section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is an enlarged section similar to Figure 3, parts broken away,showing the upper end of the supporting leg,

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on line 7-7 of Figure 3, and,

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 8-8 of Figure 3.

.In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates asupporting arm or bar including'forward spaced sides 11, forming alongitudinal vertical passage 12 between them. Formed integral with therear end of this supporting arm or bar is a handle 13. The sides 11 areprovided near their forward ends with transverse cylindrical openings14, receiving a cylindrical pin 15, removably held in place within theopenings 14 by pins 16 which extend through openings 17 formed in thesides 11 and openings 18 formed in the pin 15. The pin 16 is securelyheld in place upon the arms 11 but may be removed therefrom, whendesired. The pin 15 is provided with intermediate flats 19.

The numeral 20 designates an upstanding supporting leg, which ispreferably in the form of a strap. This supporting leg has horizontalvertically spaced slots 21 formed therein, passing through the forwardedge of the supporting leg and these slots lead into cylindricallycurved recesses or openings 22, having diameters slightly larger thanthe transverse dimensions of the slots. The openings or recesses 22 arespaced from the rear edge of the supporting leg, as shown.

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The supporting arm or bar 10 may be vertically arranged with respect tothe supporting leg 20, and this will bring the flats 14 parallel withthe side walls of the slots 21, and in this position, the pin 15 may bepassed through a selected slot 21, and the supporting arm or bar thenswung at substantially right angles to the supporting leg at which timethe side portions of the pin 15 will project beyond the walls of theselected slot 21 and will prevent the separation of the elements 11 and20, but the supporting arm or bar is pivotally connected with thesupporting leg, and may be swung with respect to the same. The

slots 21 are spaced and arranged in a group which extends longitudinallyof the supporting leg and this renders it possible to mount thesupporting arm or bar 10 upon the supporting leg at different selectedelevations with respect to the work.

The numeral 23 designates a screw engaging foot rigidly and detachablysecured to an enlargement or boss 24, formed integral with the lower endof the leg 20 and detachably secured thereto by screws 25. This foot hasan inclined upper surface forming claws 26, and a slot 27 is arrangedbetween the claws and this slot leads to an opening 28 and recess 29.The opening 28 is designed to receive the shank of the screw and recess29 the head of the screw. The screws are designated by the numeral 30,Figure 1, and these screws have heads provided with slots or recesses toreceive the tangs of the screw driver element. The screws 30, Figure 1,are shown secured to the work 31, which may have a curved surface.

The tool further comprises a rotary spindle 32, disposed at right anglesto the supporting arm or bar 10 and this spindle extends through and hasa sliding fit within the passage 12. The spindle has a ring or collar 33mounted thereon, above the supporting arm or bar 10, and this ring orcollar 33 is rigidly secured to the spindle 32 by any suitable means,such as welding 34. Arranged beneath the supporting arm or bar 10 is afloating washer 35, rotatable upon the spindle 32. This washer isarranged above a ring or collar 36, rigidly mounted upon the spindle 32and secured thereto by welding 37 or the like. It is thus seen that thespindle 32 is held at right angles to the supporting arm or bar 10 andis free to be shifted longitudinally of the same and is rotatable withrelation to the supporting arm or bar. The spindle 32 is provided at itsupper end with a socket 38, having a recess which is square in crosssection and is provided at its lower end with a bit 39, square in crosssection.

The spindle 32 may be rotated by any suitable means and for the purposeof illustration, I have shown a rotary crank 40 having a shank 41,square in cross section, to engage within the socket 38 for turning thespindle. The spindle may be power operated, if desired. Arranged beneaththe spindle 32 is a screw driver element 42, provided at its upper endwith a socket 43, having a recess square in cross section, to receivethe bit 39 and the socket may be clamped to the bit by a bolt or setscrew 44. At its lower end, the screw driver element 42 has tangs 45 toengage within the slots or recesses formed in the head of the screw.

The operation of the tool is as follows:

Where the screws 30 are in a row, one screw may be partly unscrewed andthe foot 23 engaged beneath the head of this screw. The foot 23 faces inthe direction of the free end of the handle 13. This foot will securelyattach the supporting leg to the work. The supporting arm or bar 10 isvertically adjusted with respect to the supporting leg, depending uponthe desired elevation of the arm 10, which in turn is regulated by theelevation of the screw to be removed. Since the first screw to beremoved is in upper elevation, the pin 15 is held within the uppermostopening or recess 22 of the leg. The supporting arm or bar maybeangularly adjusted with respect to the supporting leg and the screw, tobring the screw driver element 42 into accurate axial relation withrespect'to the screw. The spindle 32 is now adjusted longitudinally ofthe supporting arm or-bar 10 to bring the screw driver element 42 closetothe selected'screw and the supporting arm or bar 10: is now swungdownwardly so that-the tangs 45 will engage within the slots orrecesses' of the head of the screw. Downward pressure may beexerted uponthe handle 13 to'retain the screw driver element in proper engagementwith the screw and durthe operation is repeated. When the screw to beremoved is at a considerably lower elevation, the pin 15 will beinserted into the'selected lower opening or recess 22.

In order that the spindle 32'may be applied to the supporting arm or bar10, the pin 15 must be removed, and the pin is substantially returned inplace.

It is to be understood that the form of my inventionherewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in theshape, size and arrangement of parts mayberesorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

v Having thus described my invention, I claim:

ranged horizontally, whereby the slots open through the sides of saidcylindrical recesses, a substantially horizon- V tal foot secured to thelower end of said leg and including 1'. A tool for removing screws fromflat or irregular inner ends of said slots and communicating therewithnear the transverse center of the leg, a foot secured to the lower endof the leg for engaging the surface of the work and having spaced clawsextending transversely beyond one side of the leg, said claws adapted toreceive between them a partly removed screw, an elongated supporting armto be arranged generally horizontally above" the'work'and includingspaced sides forming a longitudinal: passage between them adapted toreceive said leg, a transverse' pinextending between and connecting saidsides near their free ends, said pin provided upon opposite: sidesthereof with-fiat faces, whereby the pin may enter and pass through aselected one of the slots when the fiat faces of the pin are arrangedparallel to the opposite sidesof'the slot, the supporting arm and pinthen being turned upon the axis of the pin so that the pin will be heldwithin said enlarged cylindrical recess and form therewith a pivotalconnection between the leg and said supporting arm, a spindle engagingthrough said longitudinal passage between the sides of the supportingarm and shiftable longitudinally of the arm, means for maintaining thespindle substantially at right angles to the supportingarm, and meansadapting said spindle for connection with a screw driver element beneaththe supporting arm, the'upper end of said spindle being adapted surfacescomprising an upstanding leg, said leg being provided: inane-verticalside with a plurality of vertical 1y spaced slots opening through saidside and extending entirely through the leg transversely thereof, theleg hava ing a corresponding number of enlarged cylindrical recessesextending transversely therethrough at the inner.

ends of said slots and having their longitudinal axes ara pair of spacedclaws extending beyond the vertical side of the leg opposite to saidslots, an elongated supporting arm to be arranged generally horizontallyabove the work and having a handle portion at one end thereof remotefrom said leg, said arm having a long longitudinal slot formedtherethrough forwardly of said handle portion and opening through theopposite end of the arm and adapted to receive the leg, a transversecylindrical'pin' secured to said arm near its end remote from the handle6, portion and extending across the slot of the arm and being providedupon opposite sides and within the slot; with a pair of parallel fiatfaces, said'faces being nor-- mal to the sides of the slots in saidlegwhen the arm is at right angles to the leg, saidfaces being parallelwith the sides of the slots of the leg when said arm is turned toextendlongitudinally of the leg, whereby the pin may pass through aselected one 'of the slots of the leg and,

engage within the corresponding cylindrical recess to form v formedtherein and spaced longitudinally of the'leg, said slots having outeropen ends and inner closed ends, a foot secured to the lower end of theleg adjacent to the" work and havingspaced claws to receive between thema partly removed screw, a supporting arm including spaced sides forminga passage between them to receive the rigid leg when the-leg ispositioned near the ends of said sides, a pinconnecting said sides near,their ends and adapted for insertion within a selected slot of the leg,said pin being pivotally mounted withinsaid'sloti and removablelaterally from the slot, whereby the pin serves to pivotally connectsaid arm to the leg and also. facilitates adjusting the arm verticallywith respect to the leg, a spindle mounted within the passage betweensaid sides and adjustable longitudinally, of said sides, means to holdthe spindle substantially at right anglesto'? the sides, means arrangedabove the supporting arm'to C drive the spindle, and a screw driverelement securedtoi: the spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS391,124 Great Britain Apr. 18, 1933*

